KND: First Strike
by Kirikou
Summary: Numbah 1 has a plan. Infiltrate the Delightful Children's base and give them a piece of his mind. The new group is willing to follow, but something goes horribly wrong...(second chapter to First Strike)
1. First Strike

KND:First Strike  
Kirkou  
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Based on Christina Aguilera's song Fighter  
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A day in the life of a KND member.  
  
1. Rally  
2. Make crazy to plans to save the world from grown-ups.  
3. Carry out the plans to save the world from grown-ups.  
4. Watch in horrid fascination as several of the plans go up in smoke.  
5. Go Home.  
6. Relax.  
7. Chase the ice-cream man for several hours strait.  
  
For many of the only five members, this little agenda was becomming somewhat of a bore. They tried to seperate the ideas, maybe add in some new, but every time, they ended up going back to original. As usual. And, one time out of a thousand, to all of their dismays, they actually did NOT catch the ice-cream man, to numbah three's dismay and a hour-long tantrum. But none of them knew that their lives where about to make a total 180 in only a few hours.  
  
"Hey! You're never gonna believe this!!" A boy ran in the room, late to the morning meeting. The other three kids glanced over, thankfull that he'd arrived then, or their leader might have had a fit. He jogged up to the podium, blonde hair bouncing over his eyes. "My ma knows these other grown-ups in some country, and their gonna come and visit us!" Numbah 1's eyes narrowed, cocking an eyebrow in irritation.  
  
"You where ten minutes late just to tell me something that doesn't have anything to do with what's going on?" He asked, crossing his arms. Numbah 4 only continued to jump, finnaly taking the other by the shoulders. Numbah three jumped around, yelping something about "Parent party!!"   
  
"You don't understand! Listen for a minute!! The parents all have kids, and I just found out that they're just like us!" He said excitedly. The other kids gasped in shock. Numbah 1 was completely speechless, but his thinking was still quite logical by kid standards.   
  
"You mean to say that there are other KND that we never knew about, and their comming here and we're going to meet them?" He asked, taking a breath. Numbah 4 nodded.  
  
"See what you can learn from listening?" He said matter-of-factly. The rest of the kids where excited, unable to wait to meet another group just like themselves and find out what THEY did on their day-to-day basis. According to the rest of the speech from Numbah 4, the kids would be arriving shortly, within the next few hours. Numbah 1 didn't seem to excited. The only thing he wanted was to meet this other leader. This might be an interesting experience.  
  
A few hours later, the parents where heard talking happily, conversing and laughing. A knock was heard on the door, Numbah 3 running happily to open the door, welcoming the new kids the only way she knew how.   
  
Hugs.  
  
Numbah 1 came to the door as well, watching them enter, a girl leading the way. He glanced at each of their faces, amazed at how different kids from another country could be. But one thing hadn't changed. There was a geek, with glasses five times the size of his small head and tiny body. The new kids greeted the others just as kindly as they had been, with the exception of one, whom Numbah 1 had been keeping his eye since she walked in the door. By the time they had all finnaly entered, the kids looked over their new guests, noticing them all behind the girl who had come in first, a completely serious gaze apon her face. She had a large pair of baggy purple jeans with black stripes, and a white Tank-top. She strided up to Numbah 1, eyes narrowing, a crooked smile passing over her face.   
  
"So, you're the infamous Numbah 1 of the Kids Next Door." She cocked her head to the side, her curly black red-streaked hair falling over her shoulders and past her waist. "I suppose I expected something more.." She thought for a moment, her purple eyes flashing. "leader-ish?" She backed back to her group, hands on her hips, an almost sneer-like grin on her face now. The other kids gasped, unbelieving what they just heard. Numbah 1 only stood there, shades covering his eyes, and a large part of anger along with it. He only mumbled something inaudible to himself, nodding. That was no way to greet someone...  
  
"Nice to meet you too.." She spoke up clearly, in an almost snotty tone. "Name's Lenai."  
  
Numbah 1 crossed his arms, glaring at her dangerously before he just walked into another room, muttering "have a nice stay" or something of the likes which none of his comrades had understood, taking another glance back, before moving on. They simply shrugged it off, introducing themselves. The other kids finnaly got a chance to introduce themselves as well. The youngest, a girl with short little brown ponytails and a pair of overalls grinned.   
  
"I'm Mimi!" She squeeked, waving a hand high, as if no-one could see her. The skinny boy with the huge glasses and frayed blonde hair stepped forward after.  
  
"Salutations. My name is Grey." He adjusted his glasses, pocket-prtector and all, stepping back again. This one was a shy boy. The next came forward, a collored boy with baggy jeans and a backwards hat, a white bandanna under that to compliment with his bright yellow pants and black T.  
  
"JC." He flipped some sign, going back again. The last of the kids was the most punk-dressed person that Numbah 4 had ever seen besides himself. His black hair was put in braided strands down his head and tied off with numerous collored ties. He wore a variety of necklaces about his neck, and an array of bracelets on both arms, as well as an earing.   
  
"Just call me Oso." Was all he said before going back to his staring in the same direction he had just stopped staring in. Lenai grinned, sitting down with the rest of the kids. She then confirmed what the kids and Numbah 1 had been speculating over.  
  
"I would be the leader of this group, if any of you should want to know." She leaned back casually. Numbah 5 spoke up, pop quizing her.  
  
"So, what's your idea of a good leader then." trying to get back at the first insult to her leader.  
  
"Let's see. I think a good leader has to be strong willed, smart of course, and never back down. All of the above or nothing." Numbah 1 re-entered the room a few minutes later, obviously getting over whatever upset he had within those last few minutes. Lenai gave him an almost cruel sideways glance, but he only returned with his own stare, now composed and sitting among the rest of the group. It was obvious to both groups that there was some kind of tension between the two.  
  
"So, what have you all been doing?" Numbah 5 asked quickly to get a conversation started. Grey spoke up, writting down a note or two on a pad of paper he had in his hands constantly it seemed. Lenai grinned.  
  
"We do just what you do, basically, get those annoying adults out of the way, is the main objective." Numbah 1 was officially happy with what he had just heard. He grinned, shaking everyone else's hand since he hadn't been able to before. He avoided Lenai, who was eyeballing him it seemed. But, as Numbah 5 watched the two, she could almost see some kind of admiration in her eyes, but she had to take a second look, for they where the same as they'd always been, and, for a moment, she had to convince herself she had ever looked like that to begin with. The conversation lasted a pretty long time, for a few hours at least untill they played a few games and went to bed for the night, sleeping in the main room with bags and pillows. Numbah 4 had made his way to where Numbah 1 decided to crash, shaking him on the shoulder quickly. He rolled over, glaring at him incoherently.  
  
"Look, I gotta know! What's going on?" He demanded, but, almost regtretted every word spoken as his leader rolled his eyes in the most annoyed fassion, resting his head apon his arms in a quick motion. He did not think about her, nor turn his eyes in that direction.  
  
"There's nothing going on." He mummbled under his breath.   
  
"That girl's realy mean huh?"  
  
"Sure."   
  
"I just don't understand why you're all tense!"  
  
"Right." His answers where becomming one-sylabled, so Numbah 4 decided it was time to quit.  
  
"Well, night." A sigh was heard as he went back to his sleeping bag. His freind obviously didn't want to be talked to, but he still hadn't a clue why. He glanced over at Lenai, who wasn't asleep, but seemed to be talking with another of her group, though quiet enough so that the others couldn't hear. She was talking with Oso, who shook his head at something, laying down on his bag and turning over. She sighed in an almost upset tone, laying back down herself. Numbah 4 tried to make something of this, but nothing came. Those two just hated each other as soon as she walked in the door it seemed. He only smiled to himself, falling asleep. He'd talk to 1 later, when he was in a better mood.  
  
Numbah 1, didn't fall asleep, being in such a trance of thought it was near impossible. He could only stare contently at the ceiling, but soon turned away from that. He'd also noticed the conversation going on only feet away. He turned away, not even interested in what she was saying. It didn't matter to him. He sighed. He would get her back for those insults. Nobody insulted Numbah 1 without regretting it. But what he didn't know as he fell asleep, calculating his revenge, was that the girl had indeed regretted it, and the conversation had been about him.  
  
"Lenai, you're being to cruel." Her brother said to her, sitting up and speaking so no one could hear. She turned to him, sitting up as well. Her eyes became quiet, an almost upsetting smile on her face.  
  
"If I don't, he'll never learn..."  
  
"But why so hard? you're insulting the team on their own ground. It's disrespectfull." She smiled, laying back down after Oso had. She nodded her head slightly.  
  
"I just can't help it. Every time I'd like to say something nice ot him...it ends up comming out the wrong way. It's..it's hard to understand. And, it worked with all the other teams." She sighed, glaring over in his direction. He probably hated her already, and she hadn't been here for even a few hours...  
  
"Well, that's just you though. Try to be a little nicer would you." He was silent, turned over in his bag. She stayed awake for a few moments longer, thinking about what she could say. Her gaze suddenly turned cold, as she closed her eyes to the dark. It wasn't going to be that easy. She wouldn't let them control her.  
---  
Part 2: Second Strike  
  
-So, this is my first attempt, and KND belongs to the rightfull creators and authors, collorers..(weird word) and etc. The onyl characters that belong to me are Oso, Grey, Lenai, JC, and Mimi. I'm gonna draw them!! But anyhow, this is soley for entertainment and I am making no profit, so don't sue me man!  
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	2. Second Strike

KND: Second Strike  
Kirikou  
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Alright, the kids have met each other. Let the arguing begin!! (and another note. I've only seen like, 2 episodes, so don't rat on me for the spelling or something that I wasn't aware of..sorry..)  
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The next morning was a beautifull one indeed, taking everyone's problems away for an instant as the sun came slowly over the horizon, signifying a new and much better day. Breakfast made everyone happier, before the kids went back to what they where doing before. Numbah 2 was excited to be able to tell someone about their technology, to the eager ears of Grey, the note-taking-pocket-protector-boy. (but, dispite a few differences, they got along like they'd known each other their whole lives.) Oso and Numbah 4 got along well, finding that they had the same interest in music and a few other minimal things. Mimi and Numbah 3 got along as well. (must I explain?) In fact, to make a long story short, they all did...save for two that is. Lenai came to sit beside Numbah 1, who was devising some strange plan as far as she could tell. His silence annoyed her, but she only stayed next to him, trying to get something out of him.  
  
"So, how long you've been goin' at this exactly?" She asked. He only shrugged, adjusting his glasses.  
  
"About two and a half years even."  
  
"Two and a quarter!" A voice yelled out from nowhere. Numbah 1 glared in the direction, where he saw two heads poking out of a device. "How many times am I going to remind you?!"  
  
"Why does it matter??"  
  
"When someone asks, we're gonna say, since 2000." He said matter-of-factly, dissapearing again as Numbah 1 rolled his eyes. That made no sense at all.   
  
"Forgetful are we?" Lenai smirked, leaning back on the little couch comfortably. He only glared dangerously at her, turning his gaze to another direction of the room, watching Oso and Numbah 4 take out some card game, probably go fish or something of the sort. Mimi and Numbah 3 where well on their way to the television to watch an hour of Cuddly Ponies. Lenai continued to stare at him, though his gaze had shifted. He never once looked back at her, and she wondered why. Does he always take everything so personally? She thought to herself. Probably just thinking of a comeback...  
  
"Riiight." He suddenly said, as though answering her own question. But, as she soon found out from a loud bang, it was only for the boys across the room with black faces and a blown up object.  
  
"Think the colaberation wasn't quite right...have to adjust.."  
  
"How's it comming over there?" Numbah 1 directed to the two, who smiled with a thumbs up.  
  
"This doohicky was too tight, and that little thing.." Grey went on, scribbling as he spoke. Numbah 2 grinned, trying to fix the thing as the boy pointed quirks out. A grin flashed across both their faces, silence following, before they both said "hydrolics!!" together as it blew up in their faces again. Numbah 1 smiled, Lenai shocked to see him on the floor with laughter. The other kids looked over in fascination, to see if something was wrong with him. It was a rare thing to see that from him. Oso only grinned, turning back to his card game, which he was winning. Lenai continued to watch him as he finnaly found the breath to sit up, and get himself back on the chair.  
  
"Alright then." She said, as he turned towards her, as if to answer, but quickly stood to his feet, going over a ways and ripping out some blueprints, sitting on the floor with a pen, and maping. Numbah 4 and Oso came to watch, as Numbah 1 described his idea to the clueless kids beside him.  
  
"We're going to get in here, and possibly, if we succeed that is, not saying that we won't now, that we can get rid of the delightfull children for a few weeks." Numbah 4 sighed in relief. It was a good idea. They where constantly ripping holes in their place, then going away and practically demolishing all of them. They'd dealt quite a hand with Numbah 1, and now it was his chance for revenge.  
  
"So, back or front?" He asked, ready to do both, but would much prefer knocking in the front door and scaring the crap out of anyone there with blasters or something big and deadly. Oso was thinking the same thing.  
  
"We in on this two man?" He asked curiously. Numbah 1 looked about, nodding his approval and putting some more dots on the paper. He had five more to place. The rest of both groups had suddenly appeared over his shoulder, checking the idea and calculating for themselves. The two smart ones pointed out a few flaws, which Numbah 1 corrected without question. He handed the blueprints to Grey, who overlooked them carefully.  
  
"Guard here? That's unusual."  
  
"They're quite unusual people..." He answered quickly.  
  
"No kidding...they tried to turn us into adults with some weird zappy thing!! And they did!!!" Numbah 3 exclaimed, her arms waving frantically. The other group gasped. Someone was sick enough to do that?! Numbah 1 nodded, explaining how he'd managed to survive that...and quickly mentioned that he wished never to do it again.  
  
"Can't put that person there."  
  
"What?!" Numbah 1 looked up from his work to see Lenai pointing at a spot on the map.   
  
"They'll get stuck." He looked it over again, shaking his head.  
  
"Nope. Be fine." She said nothing, only pointed to a place a few feet from where that dot was. His eyes widened in astonishment, and somewhat frustration. Grey and Numbah 2 agreed, flaw in the plan. That would work instead. The person was put a few yards from there.   
  
"And who's gonna be backup!?" Numbah 1 brought up, confusing them again. "Someone has to cover that spot!! Someone will figure if they don't!" Grey looked it over again, and Numbah 2 stared at it blankly. He was right...  
  
"Someone else. Where will you be?" Lenai asked him. He pointed. She looked around. He put a color tack into the paper. She was going to take that spot. They finally all agreed on it, taking the papers and moving out.  
  
On the grounds, the paper was spread out again, outside the premesis.  
  
"Their guard is up from last time. They're expecting us, that's obvious." Numbah 1 glanced about over the horizon, noting the change the place had undergone. Security was the main function from the outside it seemed.  
  
"Alright..." He whispered, as they all crawled in through a small duct in the wall. They all got back into their circle. "This will be your first mission with these guys. Be carefull, and don't get caught! You don't want to know what they'll do to you..And, don't go untill the signal!!" He hissed, fixing his shades and getting to his feet and immediately backing against the side of the wall, for cameras where watching their every move. He had his defense, something to shoot if nessassary.  
  
"KND, move out!" He hissed again, watching as the 9 kids spread out over the entire span of the property, silent as mice. He waited to see four span the wall, and the rest move out to the mansion. They turned back to him, who looked about carefully for any suspicious characters, waving. They entered the building, crawling under wires, ducts, and anything they had to. Numbah 1 had finnaly made it to the main room, where he watched the enemy, obviously in the middle of something. What, he couldn't see from there. He looked over, Numbah 3 in plain view on the other side, but only to himself. Numbah 4 was on the other side of the room, while Numbah 2 was in another room, on his way there. 5, meanwhile, was with Oso and Grey. Safer in numbers as he'd put it. As he was about to swing down, a sound was heard, that almost made him fall out. A squeek, then a scream and alarms. The children turned, their sights right in the duct where he was sitting.  
  
"Found you." They all said in unison, a thing he never realy did get used to. In moments 4, 3, and 2 where caught and squirming. He jumped out of the duct after them, but a shout from 4 had stopped him in his tracks as they came after him.  
  
"Get outa here!! They have 5 and Lenai!!!!" Numbah 1 could only stand their shocked, untill his legs told him to bolt. he busted out of the room, into the next hallway, trying desperately to remember the way through the corridors that where about as bad as a labarynth. He fell against a wall, panting for breath, trying to find his bearings. A scream from down the hall confirmed his location. He gathered his strength, skittering as silently as he could into the room where the sound was heard. he opened the door a crack, gasping at what he saw.  
  
There was Lenai tied to a chair, but numbah 5 was nowhere to be seen... Which was precisely whom he had been looking for in the first place!!  
  
"Come in Numbah 1!! You caught?!" A voice came from a walky talky attached to a pocket.   
  
"Who is it!!??" He squeeked.  
  
"I's 5!! I got away for now, but they're still...after me..I'm gonna...go get the others..."  
  
"Wait!!" he yelled, trying to get her back, but the side had already gone dead. "Damn!!!" he couldn't help but shout, then realized that the soap would be in order. Lenai had already seen him in the meantime and was squeeking under the ropes and gag. Numbah 1 went over, quite reluctantly, to let her go, taking a small knife and cutting them up as quickly as he could.  
  
"What the heck...??" Lenai said as soon as the gag was removed, glaring at Numbah 1 with the most evil he'd ever seen a person stare.  
  
"Look, I'm not in the mood for an argument, so just SHUT UP and come on!!" He took her by the wrist, wrenching her off the chair and dragging her behind him to the door, throwing her against the wall as he left.   
  
"I don't know what the blazes is going on here, but we need to get out. Now!"  
  
"But..."  
  
"They know we're here, and there's reinforcements now!"  
  
"Oh, Numbah 1..." Two voices where heard down the hall. He backed up against the wall, holding his breath, hopping that they hadn't already seen him. "Let's have a little fun. You want to play hide and seek?" Lenai could only shudder from the strange unison of the voices of these kids. No life whatsoever, as if they where androids of some kind...She looked over at Numbah 1, shocked at what she saw. It was a split moment of fear. She hadn't thought these kids where much of a threat, but from his terror stricken face, they where definately not something he wanted to deal with alone...  
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are...you know we'll find you." He gulped nervously, trying not to expose the fact that he had to have been shivering to the girl beside him. But those voices...they just wheren't the natural thing to hear in your mind day to day. "We see you..." His eyes darted in all directions, but he couldn't see them at all. The voices where practically next to them, but the children where nowhere to be seen. Lenai looked up, gasping.  
  
"Numbah 1!! Camera!!!!" Only the word sent him sprinting down the hall, dragging her as quickly as he could behind her. He almost screamed at the sight of a dead end. Footsteps where heard behind them now, and there was no way he'd turn around, Lenai knew right away. He cursed again, trying to find something that would get him out of there, anything..."  
  
"Hey! Up here!!" He looked up sharply, seeing a pair of eyes in the vent. It was Oso. He took Numbah 1 by the wrist, hauling him up, who didn't need much help to scramble the rest of the way in. Lenai climbed up herself, as they continued down the vents untill a spot of light was in view.  
  
"Alright..." Numbah 1 was trying to gather his thoughts, but just about all of his teammates where captive, and probably half of Lenai's team as well...  
  
"Hello...we know you're there...." The sound came over the walky talky, but made all three of the kids jump. The children's voices... "You can't hide from us..." Numbah 1 gasped, turning the walky talky off as quickly as he could, silencing the sound he couldn't stand to listen to for another second.  
  
"Hey!" Lenai said, completely exasperated. "We could use that!!"  
  
"They're tracking us with it!!!!" Numbah 1 shouted, putting it back on the pocket it had been attached to. "One less way to get us." Oso nodded, noting the freaked look on his face. He had the same amount of fear in him, glancing around like a paranoid. Numbah 1 pulled out a map, glaring over it, trying to stop the paper from shivering in his hands.  
  
"Alright...we're here...and they're probably there...oh crap." A sound was heard in the vent, though it was unplaceable. Oso turned, covering a scream. One of the children where there, only feet away. He smiled grimly, fakely, waving slowly.  
  
"Found you." The three screamed, trying to get away, but he already had them cornered. Numbah 1 looked down into the light the vent had brought, seeing just how far the ground was from this one. he tried the grate. It moved. He tried not to look at the height they where at and the injury that could cause...  
  
"No choice!!" He screached, ripping out the grate, and jumping down, landing with a thud on the ground below. The other two didn't even hesitate to follow after him. They got up, Oso limping a little as they scrambled into the next room with the sound of "drat" from the grate. Lenai only thought then, as they hit another wall together, that the children where all around them and nowhere at the same time, which was probably the case. The three where running out of steam, and there was no let-up of the security. A little laugh was heard, as they scattered into another room together, panting and gasping for air. Numbah 1 let out a sigh of relief when he saw the rest of his group there, as well as the rest of Lenai's, tied down.  
  
"mffmmff...nffmfmfmfmfmf!!!" Numbah 4 muffed, in inaudible tones. They where thankfull to see others. As soon as Numbah 1 was about to cut the ropes, the lights went out.  
  
"Joy. Night tag." The voices where heard again, on the walky talky. Numbah 1 gasped in disbelief. He'd turned it off!! He checked the signel. It was on, but the device was off... He got to his feet as his eyes adjusted to the light. He was forced to take his shades off to see. He raised the walky in his hand as high as he could, slamming it into the ground as hard as his arm was able. A smash was heard, and a strange noise as batteries scattered all over the floor. A whimper was heard.  
  
"I'm scared of the dark..." It was Numbah 3. One of the other people tried to keep her calm, another voice heard somewhere on the other side of the room.  
  
"You know that won't work." The voices where heard...the light on the walky talky was still on...Numbah 1 could only stare in horror at the device. He looked over at Numbah 2, who was just as horrified at the breaking of electrical laws. Numbah 1 sighed.  
  
"Sorry I have to do this to your invention 2..." he took out his knife, jabbing it into the system a few hundred times with a gasp and upset from numbah 2, who was quite annerved from this. He then went to 5, taking hers and smashing it as well, destroying them the best way he knew how. A crunch was heard, and the sound of dead air. Numbah 1 grinned, finnaly rid of the only things they could track them by. His was still blinking, despite the huge knife holes it had embeded into it, but was no longer transmitable to anything. Only fuzz and the occational buzz.  
  
"We've got to get out..." Lenai started, trying to feel her way around. She could only see who was immediately beside her, which was her brother, who was looking at her. A shuffle was heard, then Numbah 1 came into view, knife in hand, chopping ropes as carefully as he could in the dark.  
  
"Night vision would be good right about now.." He mumbled, taking out the last of the ropes. A sqeek.  
  
"Not so hard!! You almost got ME!!!" Numbah 5 complained, turning to him visiusly, taking an amazed glance at the knife. "Who's parents would be insane enough to give their kid a KNIFE anyway!!!???" Numbah 1 shrugged, as the knife popped back on the spring it was activated from.  
  
"They wanted to put me into Boy Scouts. I wouldn't let them."   
  
"We have more important things to think about. We need out!" Grey said in quick tones. He looked about. "But, light's a problem. They've got us good."  
  
"Time to play." The voice was heard, to their dismay, as they heard a door squeek...they where there...  
  
"Let go!!!!" They heard Numbah 1 scream out, and a slight struggle.  
  
"But you're so fun." Lenai cringed at the sound of the most horrified scream she'd ever heard, the kind that almost brought her to tears in feeling so sorry for him...The noises and scuffle where still going on. It was obvious by the screaming and struggle that he'd give his all before he let them take him anywhere...  
  
"Stop squirming...you're only wasting your energy. Don't you want to play?"  
  
"NO!! I don't!!! Let me GO!!!!! GET OFF!!!!!" A scream was heard, but it wasn't his. The lights suddenly came on, blinding the kids, untill they got a look at what was going on, gasping in horror. They saw one of the children shrink back, giving him the chance to squirm from their grips, landing back on his feet, knife in hand.  
  
"I knew this thing would come in handy.." He panted, grinning. "I told you I didn't want to play." The one who had shrunk away came forward, the sight astonishing anyone. Blood trickled down her arm, now dripping onto the floor in little drops.  
  
"You'll pay for that little boy." An older voice came from behind the children, a man comming up from behind his children.  
  
"Father.." The man took the little girl's arm, investigating the incision Numbah 1 had made, turning back to him quickly, eyes narrowing, flaring.  
  
"Children aren't supposed to play with sharp objects..."  
  
"Well, I'm not one of your little kids man." He spat angrilly, poised to run, and even slash out again, anything to get away. The other kids where amazed at this sudden bravery.  
  
"Well, that's too bad. You don't have much to defend yourself this time it seems." He was looking for any ice-cream trucks, but found none, to his ultimate satisfaction. The little girl who was cut did not cry, only held her arm, standing next to her "siblings" without feeling it seemed. Numbah 1 looked around desperately, seeing nothing in the room but the ropes, batteries, broken ealky-talkes, and the pocket knife he held. It seemed bleak indeed... The delightfull children grinned, knowing they had him cornered this time.   
  
"After we're done with you," They chanted together, their voices pulling together as if one. "We can REALY play with you." He gasped at the thought of what they meant by "play with him." He shook his head, trying not to let their voices get to him. Lenai could only watch this in horrid fascination. There was nothing like this in her country...  
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Part 3: Play  
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Woah...that came out good!! So, what's gonna happen to poor Numbah 1, the victim of the Delightfull Chidren's trap??? What about Lenai and her group??!! Find out in the next chapter, duh!! 


	3. Play

KND: Play  
Kirikou  
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It's getting there slowly...hope poor Numbah 1 doesn't loose his mind over those crazy voices!!!  
---  
  
"No way out." The children chanted, taking a step towards their captive, who stood, taking a step backwards. Their blank eyes flashed in their suceesfull capture as he backed away farther, the look of fear steadily growing on his face. One of the children spoke up, ahead of the rest, taking a step farther. than the rest as well.  
  
"We don't appreciate what you did to Father. So now, we're going to have some fun with you." He showed no expression on his face, but, the kids watched in horror as the children all grinned at the same time, all the same evil grin.  
  
"You'll...never get me." Numbah 1 stammered, his bravery failing him as he continued backwards, picking up batteries as he went. Maybe he could throw them... The other kids where glued to their spots, affraid to even move. Lenai watched as Numbah 1 hit the wall, silently begging himself to just dissapear. The children's grins never wavered, only became pearly smiles. He had nowhere else to go. The father grinned as well. He'd had his fun, and now it was time...  
  
"What...ah!!" Numbah 1 gasped, squeeking as he fell through the wall, turning up on the other side. A secret passage?  
  
"Drat. We forgot about the door." The children said together. They turned to the rest of the kids. "Oh well, we still have all of you." They began backing up as well, now well aware that the children had them in their sights now. Numbah 5 was the one who noticed.  
  
"Where's dad?" The kids looked about. He'd vanished.  
  
---  
  
Numbah 1 looked around, unable to see in the suddenly night room. It was a passage all right, as he made his assumption. He'd lost them for now, but about light. He grinned, reaching into his pants pocket and yanking out a small light and throwing the batteries he'd dropped into it, facing the wall, possibly to find a lever to move it back again. A noise was heard, but he ignored it, a rumble. He suddenly felt a small breeze on his neck, turning slowly with the now lit light, screaming at the sight of Father, only inches away, a devilish grin apon his face. Numbah 1 scrambled as the man reached to snatch him up, laughing as he did so, the firey light gleaming around him.  
  
"Come on come on..." Numbah 1 begged the door, trying to find the spot the open it again as the man tried to pick him up. He kicked at him as he succeded, scratching and biting and doing what kids did best to get away. He finnaly found the lever, taking the batteries out of his flashlight and throwing them at the man. He dropped something..a key. Numbah 1 snached it up, shrinking back from the heat. The man fell back, startled, as the fluid inside of them met with flame...  
  
The door blew open, throwing Numbah 1 across the room from the strength of the blast, and the wretched scream from the father and the batteries combusted. He landed on the opposite side of the room, bruised and slightly burned, trying to get himself on his feet again as the children gasped.  
  
"Father!" They said together, turning to Numbah 1 angrilly. "What did you do??!" They started towards him, as the other kids watched. Oso helped Numbah 1 to his feet, steadying him, since the ground seemed to be spinning and falling out from under him. He backed away as Numbah 1 popped out the knife again, seeing his advantage. He swiped, and the one who'd already been hit shrank back into the group, knocking to of them over as she did so. The rest of the kids followed, knocking the chidren over as they ran after him. After they all left, Numbah 1 quickly locked the door, falling apon it with a heave. They where safe...for now. The sound of pounding on the other side startled him, but he yanked out the map again, finding his bearings.  
  
"We're gonna make a run for it. They're dad shouldn't be comming after us for a while. We've got to split up.."  
  
"They could catch us again!" Lenai argued. Numbah 1 looked up, completely furious and up to his neck in other problems.  
  
"Would you rather we all go down at once or some of us have a chance of getting out??!!" His last words where stiffled from the sound of a deafening roar, the sound of the alarm. It resounded through the entire premesis. A sound was heard from the other side.  
  
"Don't let them get out of here!" The father, numbah 1 concluded, rolling the map back up and glancing at his teammates, wondering just how many of them he would see in a few minutes...  
  
"Alright! Split up. Take the same way out as you did coming in if you can!!" He said, running off in another direciton. They went in pairs, Lenai comming with him. The other kids sent off, running in the other direction.  
  
Numbah 4 and Oso ran down the hall, skittering around corners and ducking through vents until they accidentally fell into a dark room from the vent with stiffled screams. They landed on hard ground, trying to get up from the ache in their backs. Oso was the first to see just what was in the room. His eyes widened in a fear he'd never felt before. Devices, throughout the entire room...Torture devices.  
  
"What are these people??!!" Numbah 4 stiffled back an urge to scream, leaning against a wall and finding the vent again, throwing a rope from the room into it, hooking onto the edge and climbing up.  
  
"Freaks. That's what they are..." He said, hauling himself up, Oso right behind. They continued down the vent, hopping out on the other side to the open air, making a dash for the gate. They saw Numbah 2 and Grey hop out of their own, and Numbah 3, Mimi, 5 and JC on the wall as well. But two where missing, and the guards where arriving...  
  
"Numbah 1!! I've gotta go after him!! He should have been here already!!" Numbah 4 yelled, about to go after, but the rest of the kids held him back. Lenai was gone as well. But there was no way they'd let anymore comrades dissapear. They all sat still, praying that they wheren't caught...  
---  
  
"Where are we??" Lenai asked Numbah 1, who was staring at the map, trying to drown out the sound of the alarms enough to think. He turned, nodding his head. He'd never seen this place before...and it wasn't on the map.  
  
"I went back this way!! What happened!!??" He cursed himself out for forgetting the way out, but quickly disregarded the thought and stood to his feet again. His head was still spinning from the blow against the wall. Lenai was psyched out, and there was no telling where they where, it all just settled on him.  
  
"You don't know?!" She yelled, backing against the wall as footsteps where heard. Numbah 1 gasped. Reeinforcements had arrived...  
  
"We need to get outa here. Hey," He looked around, seeing the grate above his head, just reachable. "Up here!!" He jumped in, karate kicking the grate out. He sighed as the lights began to dim. They where playing with him alright. He was just like a mouse in a maze, and they probably knew where he was. They continued, when they heard an explosion behind them, Lenai looking back with a scream. They had bombed the place they had just been in, and where trying to get in after them. But these where adults, and some other strange kids with no mind. The children went in first, following them with their voices.  
  
"We found you. You won't get away now." Numbah 1 only continued on, the thought of do or die the only thing on his mind. Another rumble, and a gasp as the ground beneath their feet began to give. The father's voice resounded over a speaker.  
  
"You're not getting away from us, not a chance. You're gonna get it for those..." Numbah 1 almost grinned. The batteries. Wait!! He still had two! He continued down the vent, but the ground continued to give, untill they suddenly fell into a weak spot, landing on the ground below hard. Numbah 1 was just about out, untill Lenai pinched him as hard as she could. He shouted, swiping her hand away. That was when they got a look around. They where only feet from the door! They scrambled out, yelling to the other kids as they rejoiced.  
  
"Get out!! We're leaving!! Back to headquarters!!!" Numbah 1 shouted, waving his hands as his team dispersed, the other kids, unaware of what he was talking about, following suit. They had made it half way back when they noticed that the children where following them...and gaining. They reached the base, jumping in numerous holes and hiding places. Numbah 1 grinned. This would be easier. He headed towards the main room, picking up something as he went.  
  
"You're dead this time." The children said, to his astonishment, he could hear them clearly, be it in his head, or them talking loudly, he didn't know anymore. A rumbling sound resounded through the base, knocking some kids off their feet, and others to wonder...when the children crashed through a wall in their little flying device. They where intent on destroying them all...  
  
"Hello." They said, pointing a lazer gun at Numbah 1's head. "Goodbye." They shot, but barely missed him, a small shread clipping his shoulder as he ducked under it and ran off in another direction. The other kids where in a frenzy, not knowing where to go anymore. The machine smashed through walls, throwing the place apart, sending it on it's last hinges. The kids where forced to leave, watching in horror as the machine ripped their hard work to shreds. Numbah 1 screamed up at the creature, when he heard another...  
  
"Help!!" He looked over...it was Lenai! She was on a plank, jarring loose from the foundation, high off the ground...Numbah 1 growled, heading after her, ignoring the protests from the rest of the kids and the laughter of the children. He finnaly managed to clambor up the wood and foundations when one of them gave beneath his feet, jarring him down onto another level. He grunted, getting back to his feet and heading after yet again, climbing up another wall. She was on the end...she screamed, as the board wiggled, sending her plumeting...  
  
Numbah 1 leaped to the edge, forcing hismelf to hold on as he snatched her by the wrist. He only then realized that he might not be able to get her back up...He clamped a hand onto the board, trying desperately to haul her up. It felt as though his arm would be ripped out of the socket. It was then obvious to him that she was older, and bigger than him. He gritted his teeth, pulling harder, trying not to let go himself. Oso was on the ground, yelling up at them, but he neather heard nor saw him from the distance and smoke. Lenai tried her best to hold on, but her hand was slowly slipping, and she knew she must be too heavy...  
  
"Just let go!!" Numbah 1 looked down in shock as she looked up at him.  
  
"No way!!!"  
  
"I'll be fine!! You can't get me up!!" He growled, gripping into her wrist with his nails, trying again, though his arm was slowly giving way on from the board he was attached to...  
  
"One rule!! Never leave anyone behind!!!!" He gritted his teeth a final time, using all of the effort he could muster, finnaly pulling her over. She landed with a thud beside him, as he got to his feet and ran off, dragging her behind as she was finnaly able to get to her feet again. The rest of the kids cheered as they came down, Numbah 2 grinning. Numbah 1 saw what he had...  
  
"Let it rip!" Yelled over, as the boy shot the lazer at the machine. Numbah 1 took the batteries he had, whipping them up into the air as the lazer went up. They both hit the thing at the same time, making a huge explosion. The children's screams echoed through the sky as they where catapulted away, somehwere that nobody knew about. The kids yelled and screamed, the enemy finnaly demolished. Numbah 1 fell on the ground, to weak to stand.  
  
"Mission accomplished." He sighed, falling back on the grass and fainting.  
---  
Next chapter: rebuilding  
--  
Whoa!!!! That was something. Alright...only one more to go...*wipes her head* 


	4. rebuilding

KND: Rebuilding  
Kirikou  
---  
Author's note: It's the end. The final last bit. So, I'd realy like some feedback on this, considering I've only seen like, maybe 2 episodes at the most. I hope it isn't that bad..whatever, here it is.  
---  
  
"My God..." Numbah 1 sighed, his shades falling to the edge of his nose as he surveyed the damage. The base was completely destroyed, pieces of their hard work laying on the ground, shattered. The main room was ruined, and the rest of the place was completely demolished. The other group watched in awe as a final board fell from above, hitting the ground and splintering into several other pieces. There was only silence as they watched. Numbah 3 looked as if she would cry, falling to sit on the ground in disbelief. Numbah 2 looked in quite the same fasion. The Delightfull Children hadn't even done half this last time. The very foundations shook. Numbah 4 could only tsk, comming to stand beside Numbah 1, hands on his hips.  
  
"Well, it wasn't as bad last time...but we did fix it.." Numbah 1 shook his head, trying not to get any more upset as he looked over it once more. Smoke was still rising from the fire that had been let out an hour earlier when he was still out cold on the ground.  
  
"It'll take weeks to fix all this..." He sighed again, taking out a piece of paper and writting down what needed to be replaced, which spanned five pages already. This was way more than their meager allowances would put back together.  
  
"Maybe I can convince my mom to up the allowance if I add in another few chores.." Numbah 5 put in, trying to add some comfort to their meager situation. "I haven't been cleaning my room lately."  
  
"Guess I'm gonna have to start a paper route or something..." Numbah 1 commented, then realized the company probably wouldn't hire him for his age. "Or beg."  
  
"No!!! You can't stoop so low Numbah 1!!!" Numbah 4 almost screamed at him, begging himself. "I couldn't stand to see our leader reduced to such a level!! I'll do it for you, but you just...just..CAN'T!!" Numbah 1 shrank back as Numbah 4 got on his knees, hugging Numbah 1's feet.  
  
"Calm down, I wasn't serious!" He looked up, seeing the honest look on his face, quickly jumping off the ground and brushing his shirt off, sweeping his hair back casually.  
  
"Oh..well..good." he said quickly, shifting his feet and leaning on a piece of debris.  
  
"There goes those new shoes I wanted." Numbah 3 sighed, emptying her pockets onto a small dis-attached table-type-thing that had made it's way there. The rest of the kids did the same, taking money out of shoes, socks, and pockets they never thought they had. When it was all brought together, Numbah 2 had only counted  
  
"Ten dollars and sixteen cents, plus a ball of lint and some bubble gum." He added it together, taking a look at Numbah 1's extending list of comodities, shaking his head.  
  
"There's no way we can fix all this, unless we save up for another...let's see...two months!?" he asked hismelf, trying to convince that he had counted wrong from the looks on the kid's faces. The other group, who had not included, almost fell over from the sheer number. That was a long time. Lenai suddenly perked up, striding over and putting a hand on Numbah 1's shoulder. She took out whatever she had, throwing it down. The rest of the kids followed suit, some more reluctantly than others. Lenai sighed.  
  
"It's all we can do to help. It was partly our fault after all." Numbah 1 was astonished, suddenly refusing.  
  
"We can't take that. It realy wasn't your fault." She grinned, putting a hand on her hip.  
  
"Who are you to say if we can give our money away or not? I told them to!" She smiled that crooked smile again, finding an extra quarter in her pocket and flipping it on the table. Numbah 2 counted it up again, a better look on his face then before.  
  
"Thirty seven dollars and eighty-six cents. That should cover enough to put things back together. My dad had tools, so that's one less expense, and Numbah 4's dad has screws and that kind of thing, so that's another less. Numbah 5's dad has wood, and a bunch of other little things. So, that's half off the price. We should be able to afford everything after about two weeks." He smiled, and Numbah 1 turned to the other kids, who where smiling.  
  
"Thanks.." Was all he could say. He was speechless.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get moving! We're not getting any younger!" Lenai shouted, as the other kids shouted excitedly in return. They spread out, gathering what they could.  
  
"Everything will go faster with ten." She said to Numbah 1, as his team waited for the decision. He grinned, nodding.   
  
"Alright, let's move!" They grinned, spreading out as well. The kids with parents that had stuff came back with armloads of stuff fromthe garage- wether their parents knew it was gone or not, nobody could say. By mid the next morning, the had most things set up, and Numbah 1 had the blueprints re-drawn. They worked quickly and efficiently, resetting most foundations and putting up walls and other things, picking up metal and replacing the destroyed pieces. Painting was on the inside, and, with just minor parent help, the rest of it was finnished in a week's time.  
  
"Glad to help sport." Numbah 4's dad said, walking back to his home. Some of the other adults left as well, leaving the kids to pick up the rest.  
  
"So, they're still good for something I guess." Numbah 5 excaimed, fixing her hair in her hat.  
  
"Sure." Numbah 1 surveyed the look now. Same as before, yet, better in some way. He grinned, leaning on a table with some lemonade and snacks. It was then that he noticed her. Lenai was sitting over to the side, alone, and nobody seemed to know she was there. He strided over, sitting next to her questioningly.  
  
"What's the matter?" He asked, as she turned to him, almost startled to see him there.  
  
"It's nothing. The place looks good." She commented, but he could tell she was changing the subject, and rather crudely, from the quick brake in her voice. He nodded, leaning back on the ground. She suddenly turned to him.  
  
"Look, remember when I fell...why did you save me?" He gave her an almost confused look.  
  
"Well...why not?" She sighed, suddenly serious.  
  
"Because I've been so mean to you since I got here, and I was certain that you already hated me, and well, you could have very well let me fall to get back at me, or..or even let go!!" She saw his eyes widened, as though the thought had never occured to him. "Don't play dumb! I knew you didn't like me!!" he sighed, leaning back on his elbows.  
  
"Why..why would I want to do anything like that to anyone?" He asked, totally serious now as well. "It wouldn't have mattered if I'd liked you or not, I still would have helped. I couldn't just leave a person I know up there, or I would have just died of guilt or something." She sighed, somewhat relieved, but upset at the same time.  
  
"So, you don't like me or anything?" He cocked an eyebrow, not quite understanding what she asked.  
  
"Wha..."  
  
"I mean, like like."  
  
"Oh." Was all he could say, looking off in some other direction, ready to take off. Not a conversation he wanted to be in the middle of...What could he say?? If he agreed, then she'd get the idea that he like liked her, and if not, than she'd go back to being all rude again. But...one sounded a little better than the other... "I.."  
  
"What?" She asked, intent on getting an answer. He said nothing after that.  
  
"I..I gotta...gotta go. I think I hear someone calling me." She sighed as he picked himself up, quickly heading in some other direction, away from her. She smiled, knowing just what that was all about.  
  
"Too shy." She said to herself, standing as well and heading to the rest of her group, who was packing. Their parents had told them that they would be leaving in a few hours. She went into the newly built place, putting her things together as well. Oso came to sit beside her, helping her put her things away self-conciously.  
  
"So, looks like we're outa here huh?" He asked, almost thankfull for the chance to get away from the creeps these kids had to deal with from day to day. She nodded silently, fixing a strand of hair that had fallen in her eyes. They where realy leaving. They arrived at the airport, all the kids there to wish them goodbye. Numbah 3 came up, handing her a piece of paper.  
  
"This is the number, you can call when you want!!" She squeeked, hugging her tightly. Numbah 4 came over to investigate, taking the paper and fixing the numbers, giving it back. That had been the Cuddly Ponies hotline.  
  
"We're always there, 247 if you need someone to talk to." He did some weird handshake with Oso, waving. Numbah 2 had said his goodbyes to Grey, who looked like he would burst into tears. He rubbed his nose, waving his hanky. JC only made a sign, with a "peace out". Mimi was already crying. Lenai looked about, noticing that someone in their group was missing.  
  
"Where's Numbah 1?" She asked. The other kids shrugged, but Numbah 4 had an answer.  
  
"He and his ma' had to do something. He says he's sorry he couldn't see you off." She sighed, staring at the ground. She'd wanted to tell him something, and he wasn't even there... A car was heard in the distance, as the last bording for her plane was called, the rest of the kids dispersing to their seats. A kid jumped out, checking himself in the mirror and running off, trying to avoid his mom, who was protesting that he "get back there that instant". She was about to leave, when she heard her name called. It was Numbah 1, who was panting from the run. She smiled, thankfull that he was there.  
  
"Sorry..ma' insisted that I go with her. So, I guess you got the number and all that?" He asked casually, fixing his shirt. She nodded. "Good. Like I'm sure they said, we're all there." He finnished, standing somewhat awkwardly from a lack of words. "I suppose I won't be seeing you again.."  
  
"I'll call as soon as I get home, I promise." She grinned, turning as she heard her mother calling her. "Well, gotta go.." She said, waiting for a response.  
  
"Thanks for comming. I'm sure we'll be talking soon." She stood there, for only a moment longer, before giving the now startled boy a peck on the cheek and running off onto the plane with a wave back. The plane took off, Numbah 1 rejoining his group to make a final wave untill the plane dissapeared in the sky.They walked back together, resuming their normal lives. Numbah 1 spoke up.  
  
"So, what are we gonna do today?"  
  
"Donno."   
  
"I'm hungry!"  
  
"Infiltrate the Ice-cream man's truck!!"  
  
"Not bad."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Can we get some Pizza?"  
  
"Sure."  
---  
END  
---  
KIRIKOU  
--- 


End file.
